Yep
2008, produced by J.J. Abrams (Lost)
Full Version: Star Trek
Quasi-ahem.
Not really...but a reference is in order. Now that the project seems to be a reality, a dedicated topic is in order.
Hence the "quasi". 
More:
“This is not just another Trek movie but instead a total reboot, we will see things that are similar to what is known in the Trek Universe but we will not be held to every aspect of the last 40 years. We are going to introduce Star Trek to a whole new generation and many more generations to come. We have total faith that J.J. and company will take Trek to a whole new level. Trek has been going downhill for the last 10 years and if we expect it to be around 20 years from now we will have to take some bold steps that might be controversial at first but we are sure to bring new fans to the dying franchise."
So when asked about the existing fans of Trek and if they would like the direction the new Trek is headed towards I was quickly told that, “Trek fans were not able to keep the last show (Enterprise) on the air and we are looking on bringing over “Alias” and “Lost” fans and if the old Trekkies like the new movie great, if not too bad. We have to boldly go were no Star Trek has gone before.”
Those comments give me hope for this enterprise. (Ba-doom ching).
I think that taking Trek in a new direction, for better or worse, will at least make the movie more interesting than if they sign on the old Trek cast for yet another Next-Gen go round. And hopefully Whoopi Goldberg will be nowhere in sight.
I think that taking Trek in a new direction, for better or worse, will at least make the movie more interesting than if they sign on the old Trek cast for yet another Next-Gen go round. And hopefully Whoopi Goldberg will be nowhere in sight.
That quote is attributed to "someone at Paramount," but in a recent TV Guide article, JJ Abrams said it wouldn't be a reboot.
If this being discussed somewhere else please direct me there.
Anyway, I saw Ron Livingston in a comercial last night, I forget what he was schilling but it had him arriving/departing via a beam of light. That, and his facial exppressions reminded me of Captain Kirk, and I thought, Wow, Ron Livingston would make a great, young Kirk in the new movie. Not sure if he's young enough to still pull off academy days Kirk, but I would love to see him as Kirk.
I would rather watch him there than in his current show which is a wast of both his talent and that of Gina Torres.
Anyway, I saw Ron Livingston in a comercial last night, I forget what he was schilling but it had him arriving/departing via a beam of light. That, and his facial exppressions reminded me of Captain Kirk, and I thought, Wow, Ron Livingston would make a great, young Kirk in the new movie. Not sure if he's young enough to still pull off academy days Kirk, but I would love to see him as Kirk.
I would rather watch him there than in his current show which is a wast of both his talent and that of Gina Torres.
William Shatner to Sci Fi Wire: "Yes, we know the story is based on young Kirk . . . They need to figure out how to put the dead captain in with the young captain . . . It's a very complex, technical problem of how to write the character in, and I'm not sure how they will solve it."
Casting rumors ahoy...
First thoughts:
Damon would be a great Kirk, though he's pretty old to be doing a Starfleet Academy-era Kirk
Brody - I don't see him as Spock, but then there have been very few actors/actresses who have successfully pulled off playing a Vulcan.
Sinise as McCoy is inspired.
Kim as Sulu is a great idea, though again he seems too old. According to the Star Trek Chronology, Sulu entered Starfleet Academy at least a year after Kirk graduated, so they would not have overlapped. There is some fudge factor in the Chronology's dates, but it's consistent with Sulu still being a lieutenant when Kirk was already a captain.
Damon would be a great Kirk, though he's pretty old to be doing a Starfleet Academy-era Kirk
Brody - I don't see him as Spock, but then there have been very few actors/actresses who have successfully pulled off playing a Vulcan.
Sinise as McCoy is inspired.
Kim as Sulu is a great idea, though again he seems too old. According to the Star Trek Chronology, Sulu entered Starfleet Academy at least a year after Kirk graduated, so they would not have overlapped. There is some fudge factor in the Chronology's dates, but it's consistent with Sulu still being a lieutenant when Kirk was already a captain.
Did I really NOT link to my post last Monday on this subject? Hmm, guess I didn't.
Anyway, Damon, Sinise and Kim are all already older than the actors who created those characters were when the original series began -- and in the cases of Sinise and Kim, they are SEVERAL YEARS older -- so there is no way that they could convincingly play versions of these characters who are ten-plus years younger than the characters were during that series. (Brody, meanwhile, is only about a year younger than Leonard Nimoy was when the first series began.)
But will this series really be about Starfleet Academy after all? With so many casting rumours indicating that most of the Enterprise's bridge crew will be in this film, I'm beginning to wonder. Surely they wouldn't all have been in Starfleet Academy at the same time...? And how likely is it that they would have been on the same assignments, post-Academy but so long pre-Enterprise? (We do know from the original series that Spock was assigned to the Enterprise over a decade before Kirk was, and that Kirk spent his pre-captaincy days on other ships, for example.)
Anyway, Damon, Sinise and Kim are all already older than the actors who created those characters were when the original series began -- and in the cases of Sinise and Kim, they are SEVERAL YEARS older -- so there is no way that they could convincingly play versions of these characters who are ten-plus years younger than the characters were during that series. (Brody, meanwhile, is only about a year younger than Leonard Nimoy was when the first series began.)
But will this series really be about Starfleet Academy after all? With so many casting rumours indicating that most of the Enterprise's bridge crew will be in this film, I'm beginning to wonder. Surely they wouldn't all have been in Starfleet Academy at the same time...? And how likely is it that they would have been on the same assignments, post-Academy but so long pre-Enterprise? (We do know from the original series that Spock was assigned to the Enterprise over a decade before Kirk was, and that Kirk spent his pre-captaincy days on other ships, for example.)
Star Trek XI Story Buzz
It has been widely reported that the next Star Trek film would be a Starfleet Academy story recounting how a young James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock first met as cadets. But, according to IGN's insiders, that is not quite the case.
IGN.com, March 1
It has been widely reported that the next Star Trek film would be a Starfleet Academy story recounting how a young James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock first met as cadets. But, according to IGN's insiders, that is not quite the case.
IGN.com, March 1
'Star Trek' Writers Talk Direction, Technobabble -- But Not Matt Damon
If Batman and Superman can be reborn, why not Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock? On Christmas Day 2008, the storied "Star Trek" franchise will begin anew on the big screen, and its creators are almost as ecstatic as the series' famously obsessive fans. . . . Orci and Kurtzman also confirmed that the film is not in any way a prequel but a reimagining of the franchise. Whether that means a whole new look for "Trek" remains in question. "We're not going to start totally from scratch," Orci said. "We want it to feel like it's updated and of the now. That's actually the discussions we're having now: how to keep the look of the universe yet have it not look like nothing's new. It's tricky."
MTV.com, March 8
If Batman and Superman can be reborn, why not Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock? On Christmas Day 2008, the storied "Star Trek" franchise will begin anew on the big screen, and its creators are almost as ecstatic as the series' famously obsessive fans. . . . Orci and Kurtzman also confirmed that the film is not in any way a prequel but a reimagining of the franchise. Whether that means a whole new look for "Trek" remains in question. "We're not going to start totally from scratch," Orci said. "We want it to feel like it's updated and of the now. That's actually the discussions we're having now: how to keep the look of the universe yet have it not look like nothing's new. It's tricky."
MTV.com, March 8
Matt Damon says (JJ Abram says) what I've been saying for months -- Damon's too old for the role:
Zachary Quinto of Heroes is the new Spock, and Leonard Nimoy will also be in the movie.
New teaser poster.
New teaser poster.
Hmmm, so how many actors will have played Spock now, then? There is Leonard Nimoy, of course, plus the four different boys and/or young men who played him as he grew up in ST3:TSFS. And there was probably a boy who provided the young Spock's voice in that episode of the animated series. Perhaps also a live baby in that flashback scene in ST5:TFF? See Memory Alpha for names and photos for most of these individuals.
Quinto is a great choice for Spock, IMHO, though playing a Vulcan is tough to get right. It's not emotionlessness, it's absolute control, tinged with a sense of both superiority and humor. I can't wait to see Quinto give it a shot.
In terms of looks, Quinto is an excellent choice, but I'm not sure he has the gravity of even a youthful Spock. We'll see!
My guess: Nimoy will play an instructor at the Academy, perhaps not even a Vulcan.
I agree with Denes that doing a Vulcan is difficult. Tuvok was pretty good, IMHO.
My guess: Nimoy will play an instructor at the Academy, perhaps not even a Vulcan.
I agree with Denes that doing a Vulcan is difficult. Tuvok was pretty good, IMHO.
QUOTE(CrimsonLine @ Jul 27 2007, 06:22 AM) 
It's not emotionlessness, it's absolute control, tinged with a sense of both superiority and humor.
Very well said.
QUOTE(Alan Thomas @ Jul 27 2007, 07:09 AM)
In terms of looks, Quinto is an excellent choice, but I'm not sure he has the gravity of even a youthful Spock. We'll see!
My guess: Nimoy will play an instructor at the Academy, perhaps not even a Vulcan.
I agree with Denes that doing a Vulcan is difficult. Tuvok was pretty good, IMHO.
My guess: Nimoy will play an instructor at the Academy, perhaps not even a Vulcan.
I agree with Denes that doing a Vulcan is difficult. Tuvok was pretty good, IMHO.
Tuvok was great. I was very impressed with Tim Russ as a Vulcan. Spock was of course the prototypical and best, and Sarek rocked. T'Pol was all wrong, and there have been few other well-played Vulcans.
QUOTE(Alan Thomas @ Jul 27 2007, 07:09 AM)
My guess: Nimoy will play an instructor at the Academy, perhaps not even a Vulcan.
TrekMovie.com has a video of the panel at Comic-Con where this was all announced. It was stated that Nimoy will be donning the ears again. Their report says that Nimoy will play Spock also.
In that case:
If it's not a cameo, then the entire film will be a flashback from old Spock telling the stories of the Academy days. Or perhaps Spock leading an investigation into something that happened back then. OR maybe Spock, following the death of Kirk, going over the captain's personal effects?
If it's not a cameo, then the entire film will be a flashback from old Spock telling the stories of the Academy days. Or perhaps Spock leading an investigation into something that happened back then. OR maybe Spock, following the death of Kirk, going over the captain's personal effects?
Who was it, again, who said the franchise would eventually go the route of Star Trek Babies?
It looks like this movie is skewing a fair bit younger than the original series. They have just hired an 18-year-old to play Chekov, who was 29 when the series began and 30 when he made his first appearance (Chekov did not join the show until the SECOND season, though apparently he was on the ship SOMEWHERE, otherwise Khan would not have recognized him 15 years later), and this news came just a day or two after AICN posted what they claimed were the casting breakdowns for Kirk, McCoy, Uhura and Scotty -- all of whom, apparently, will be played by actors who are 6 to 18 years younger than the original actors were at the time that they created those characters. The part of Spock, of course, was recently assigned to Zachary Quinto, who is 30 years old and thus 5 years younger than Leonard Nimoy was when the series began. Only Sulu -- once the youngest member of the regular cast -- seems to stand a chance of being the same age that he was during the original show's first season.
So. The original series' regular cast members were all between 29 and 46. And the new movie's bridge crew will be between 18 and 32 (though the oldest cast member may be even younger than that, once the roles are cast). Make of all that whatever you will.
It looks like this movie is skewing a fair bit younger than the original series. They have just hired an 18-year-old to play Chekov, who was 29 when the series began and 30 when he made his first appearance (Chekov did not join the show until the SECOND season, though apparently he was on the ship SOMEWHERE, otherwise Khan would not have recognized him 15 years later), and this news came just a day or two after AICN posted what they claimed were the casting breakdowns for Kirk, McCoy, Uhura and Scotty -- all of whom, apparently, will be played by actors who are 6 to 18 years younger than the original actors were at the time that they created those characters. The part of Spock, of course, was recently assigned to Zachary Quinto, who is 30 years old and thus 5 years younger than Leonard Nimoy was when the series began. Only Sulu -- once the youngest member of the regular cast -- seems to stand a chance of being the same age that he was during the original show's first season.
So. The original series' regular cast members were all between 29 and 46. And the new movie's bridge crew will be between 18 and 32 (though the oldest cast member may be even younger than that, once the roles are cast). Make of all that whatever you will.
Moriarty stirs things up with some wild ideas.
If true, I like that direction. Better than ENTERPRISE's approach of trying to shoehorn changes into the continuity.
Jeffrey Overstreet wrote:
: Look who's talking.
Maybe we'll get that long-awaited showdown between the Enterprise and a Star Destroyer.
: Look who's talking.
Maybe we'll get that long-awaited showdown between the Enterprise and a Star Destroyer.
Eric Bana set as 'Star Trek' villain
Actor to play Nero in J.J. Abrams film
Variety, October 9
- - -
As I mention at my blog, the rumour a couple months ago was that the producers were pursuing Russell Crowe ... so apparently, whatever else the producers were looking for, they wanted an Aussie.
Actor to play Nero in J.J. Abrams film
Variety, October 9
- - -
As I mention at my blog, the rumour a couple months ago was that the producers were pursuing Russell Crowe ... so apparently, whatever else the producers were looking for, they wanted an Aussie.
Simon Pegg to play Scotty in 'Trek'
'Hot Fuzz' star added to J.J. Abrams film
Variety, October 11
- - -
Curiously, the story makes no mention of the fact that Pegg and Abrams previously collaborated on Mission: Impossible III.
'Hot Fuzz' star added to J.J. Abrams film
Variety, October 11
- - -
Curiously, the story makes no mention of the fact that Pegg and Abrams previously collaborated on Mission: Impossible III.
QUOTE(Peter T Chattaway @ Oct 12 2007, 02:52 AM)
Simon Pegg to play Scotty in 'Trek'
'Hot Fuzz' star added to J.J. Abrams film
Variety, October 11
- - -
Curiously, the story makes no mention of the fact that Pegg and Abrams previously collaborated on Mission: Impossible III.
'Hot Fuzz' star added to J.J. Abrams film
Variety, October 11
- - -
Curiously, the story makes no mention of the fact that Pegg and Abrams previously collaborated on Mission: Impossible III.
And Korean-born actor John Cho is the new Sulu.
The Hollywood Reporter confirms the Karl-Urban-as-McCoy and Chris-Pine-as-Kirk rumours.
Greenwood shipshape in new 'Trek'
Bruce Greenwood has been cast as Christopher Pike, the Starship Enterprise's first [sic] captain, in J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" feature for Paramount.
Hollywood Reporter, November 8
- - -
Of course, as all Trekkies know, the FIRST captain of the Enterprise was not Christopher Pike but Robert April.
Bruce Greenwood has been cast as Christopher Pike, the Starship Enterprise's first [sic] captain, in J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" feature for Paramount.
Hollywood Reporter, November 8
- - -
Of course, as all Trekkies know, the FIRST captain of the Enterprise was not Christopher Pike but Robert April.
Winona Ryder joins 'Star Trek'
Paramount Pictures and director JJ Abrams have set Ryder to play the Vulcan mother of a young Spock (Zachary Quinto).
Variety, November 8
- - -
But... but... Spock's mother is HUMAN... and Ryder is only SIX YEARS older than Quinto...
Paramount Pictures and director JJ Abrams have set Ryder to play the Vulcan mother of a young Spock (Zachary Quinto).
Variety, November 8
- - -
But... but... Spock's mother is HUMAN... and Ryder is only SIX YEARS older than Quinto...
Will Kirk's dad and Carol Marcus be in the movie? And why are the actors playing the PARENTS of these characters just as young (if not younger) than the characters themselves? Flashbacks? More time-warpy stuff?
Boy, I'm pretty much going to have to spoiler-treat this whole thing, aren't I?
Aint-it-cool-News is reporting that Harlan Ellison, the writer of the Star Trek episode, "City on the Edge of Forever," is ticked off that the writers of the upcoming film are using his creation, the Guardian of Forever, in their plot, without compensating him. Here's his e-mail:
Aint-it-cool-News is reporting that Harlan Ellison, the writer of the Star Trek episode, "City on the Edge of Forever," is ticked off that the writers of the upcoming film are using his creation, the Guardian of Forever, in their plot, without compensating him. Here's his e-mail:
QUOTE (AICN)
HARLAN ELLISON
- Monday, November 12 2007 10:19:47
THAT STAR TREK BUSINESS
MARK GOLDBERG or ANYONE ELSE:
Would someone go to that site, and suggest to those people there, that "City" and all its elements EXCEPT specific Star Trek characters, belong to Harlan Ellison--author of that much-lauded episode--by terms of the Separation of Rights clause of the Writers Guild's Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA), and if Mr. Abrams--with whom I'm currently on strike--or anyone else, at Paramount or elsewhere, thinks they're going to use MY creations--whether the City, the Guardians, Sister Edith Keeler, or any other elements CREATED BY HARLAN ELLISON...they had damned well better lose the unilateral arrogance, get in touch with me, or my agent, Marty Shapiro, and be prepared to pay for the privilege of mining the lode I own.
Thank you, and thank Peter David, who just called to alert me, as have you, Mark, to yet another gimmegimme grab by Paramount and the Star trek francchise that makes billions, but withholds recognition or recompense to the artists who labored in that vein.
Yr. Pal, Harlan
- Monday, November 12 2007 10:19:47
THAT STAR TREK BUSINESS
MARK GOLDBERG or ANYONE ELSE:
Would someone go to that site, and suggest to those people there, that "City" and all its elements EXCEPT specific Star Trek characters, belong to Harlan Ellison--author of that much-lauded episode--by terms of the Separation of Rights clause of the Writers Guild's Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA), and if Mr. Abrams--with whom I'm currently on strike--or anyone else, at Paramount or elsewhere, thinks they're going to use MY creations--whether the City, the Guardians, Sister Edith Keeler, or any other elements CREATED BY HARLAN ELLISON...they had damned well better lose the unilateral arrogance, get in touch with me, or my agent, Marty Shapiro, and be prepared to pay for the privilege of mining the lode I own.
Thank you, and thank Peter David, who just called to alert me, as have you, Mark, to yet another gimmegimme grab by Paramount and the Star trek francchise that makes billions, but withholds recognition or recompense to the artists who labored in that vein.
Yr. Pal, Harlan
Oh wow. Wow wow wow wow wow.
But I can't imagine Harlan has a leg to stand on here. I'm not up on all the legalistic mumbo-jumbo, but surely when characters are created for a TV series (or movie series), the rights belong to the producer(s) who COMMISSIONED and BOUGHT those scripts? If not, then why hasn't Harlan sued the makers of all those comics and novels that have dealt with his characters? Is he saying he would have sued the TV producers if these characters had been used in any of the series which took place in the 24th century?
But I can't imagine Harlan has a leg to stand on here. I'm not up on all the legalistic mumbo-jumbo, but surely when characters are created for a TV series (or movie series), the rights belong to the producer(s) who COMMISSIONED and BOUGHT those scripts? If not, then why hasn't Harlan sued the makers of all those comics and novels that have dealt with his characters? Is he saying he would have sued the TV producers if these characters had been used in any of the series which took place in the 24th century?
QUOTE (Peter T Chattaway @ Nov 12 2007, 09:44 PM)
But I can't imagine Harlan has a leg to stand on here. I'm not up on all the legalistic mumbo-jumbo, but surely when characters are created for a TV series (or movie series), the rights belong to the producer(s) who COMMISSIONED and BOUGHT those scripts? If not, then why hasn't Harlan sued the makers of all those comics and novels that have dealt with his characters? Is he saying he would have sued the TV producers if these characters had been used in any of the series which took place in the 24th century?
Maybe he has the rights structured in such a way that he only has rights to filmed or videotaped expressions of his work and characters.
By the way, has anyone else had personal contact with Harlan Ellison? My experience (about a half-dozen years ago when I was a magazine editor) was rather interesting. He has a well-deserved reputation for being a controlling curmudgeon. At that time, he refused to use e-mail, voice mail or do much with the internet... We had a very difficult time working with him... so much so that the story was eventually killed because he refused to grant us permission to use any images of him with the biographical piece we commissioned.
The above purports to be an e-mail from Ellison.
QUOTE (CrimsonLine @ Nov 13 2007, 05:18 AM)
The above purports to be an e-mail from Ellison.
Unless his wife posted it, I'm very skeptical of its authenticity... although it does sound like something he might say.
Ben Cross is Sarek. And ComingSoon is specifying that Winona Ryder is Spock's human mother, Amanda Grayson. FWIW.
A few more thoughts on why William Shatner, AKA the "old Kirk", couldn't/shouldn't be in this film.
Will George Takei appear as the older Sulu? And if so, how MUCH older?
Can't believe I'm beating Peter to the punch with some Star Trek news, but, well, for what it's worth...
Tyler Perry?!
Tyler Perry?!
QUOTE (Jeffrey Overstreet @ Dec 30 2007, 12:30 PM)
Can't believe I'm beating Peter to the punch with some Star Trek news, but, well, for what it's worth...
You didn't
Of course I didn't. What was I thinking? I am a failure.
(But then, I *did* beat him to the punch in this proper thread. And this week has been so rough, I'm acknowledging even the smallest of victories.)
No worries, Jeff -- I've been away from A&F for a couple days, and I was wondering if anyone would post this here before I got around to logging back in.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.